Back in Spain

27 July to  8th August

Martin and Frankie left us today (Friday 8th August) after spending 5 days with us sailing down the Spanish coast. We are now in Muros awaiting the weather to improve before we set off again. It has been very windy for a few days and then very wet but looks like it is better from tomorrow onwards.

We had a good time in La Coruna, visiting the oldest lighthouse in the world (apparently), the house where Picasso developed his genius for painting (apparently) and listening to the concerts in the square which were actually very good. The weather was good all week up until the Sunday when it was a little overcast but no rain.

The first day of sailing was 10 hours of beating into a force 5 wind. We were pleased when we arrived into the bay at Laxe and anchored for the night. We took the dinghy ashore for dinner where one of the specialties was translated as “knives from sea to plate”. Turns out to be razor clams (absolutely delicious) but not sure how they got to the translation.  Also octopus is another dish which we have found to be very good which was surprising. We had some challenges starting the engine on the dinghy while we were drifting out in the sea. We provided the locals with some entertainment, particularly as Frankie and Catherine were in fits of laughter.

The next day the wind was even stronger (24-28kn) which made the short trip around the bay even longer while beating into the wind and waves. We were all pleased when we arrived in Corme for the night and tied up in the shortest pontoon ever – it was less than half the size of our boat. The harbour master was insistent that we could tie up and helped us together with a Frenchman who was “astonished” that we were so unprepared for such a short pontton. Given the wind strength and the shortness of the pontoon we tied up quite well I thought.

The following morning we decided that we should leave early to avoid the wind in the afternoon. So Martin and I got us off at 7:30 while Catherine and Frankie slept in – until 11:00 when they got up for tea and croissant. While the wind was fairly strong in the morning, by 11:00 it was less than 10kn and we had a very easy motor around to Morus, passing off Cape Finisterre in the mist.

Martin and Frankie on the last day when the weather was good.

Marin and Frankie have at least one good day on the boat before they leave. That is if you ignore the mist in the background.

Just a few of the hundreds of pilgrim we say that day

Yesterday (Saturday) we took the bus to Santiago de Compestella to visit the cathedral. After Rome, it attracts the most pilgrims in the world and while we were there, people were arriving by the hundred. The cathedral is built on the site where they found St James’s remains in 897AD. St James actually died in Greece and was buried there in about 40AD  but a shepherd heard some voices in the forest in Santiago in 897AD and told the bishop who told the King. The King then decreed it was the site where St James died and his remains were buried there. Incidentally, he used this event to rally the Christian forces against the Moors and slaughtered hundreds of thousands of them. Cynics think that the find at that particular time was not a coincidence but you can decide.

Whatever you think of the story of St James it is a very impressive catherderal

So today is still wet and we may stay another day before once again setting off on another adventure. There are worse places to be stuck.